Mountaineers lost in Austria after drunken guide abandons them

Weekend getaway turned sour for hikers in Austrian Alps after their guide became drunk and dumped them in the woods to be lost. The hikers were from a part of the 60-strong group of Hungary.

The mountaineering party was on a vacation to Austria. When they decided to explore the Rax mountain range in the eastern part of the country, they hired a guide on Saturday 11th June from a Hungarian trekking association. The hikers started their journey around 3pm local time with an allegedly unqualified guide.

About an hour from the journey, one member of the distressed group called the Austrian emergency service and informed that he along with his daughter was lost in the Alps. He also informed the authorities that their guide became drunk and abandoned them in the mountains.

The authorities later located the 12 lost hikers and brought them back to safety. By the time the rescuers spotted the hikers, the weather condition was worsening. But, without any injurious incidents, they were rescued.

Right after the hikers reached the valley, the drunken guide was also found, down in the valley. Apparently, the elusive guide came down without even collecting his charges. The man denied all the accusations and informed that he had not touched a drop of any alcoholic beverage. As no one was injured, the police did not order a breath test.

The mountaineering expert for Austrian police later informed, “All the same, it was a fine line. The man was unprofessional and he was not a trained mountain guide.”

This was not the first occurrence where tourists ended up in deep waters after they depended on an unqualified guide. It is always wise to select a proper guide to explore the unknown.